Diamond Care

Since diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, it is immune to wear and tear. But it does have its weaknesses. The most damage prone area in a diamond is the girdle. Fortunately this is not a cause for concern because the force required to chip the girdle is very unlikely to be produced unintentionally. But more often than not, the diamond is always housed in a protective setting like a ring or a pendant in order to keep the diamond undamaged over the entire lifespan. Although the gem is extremely resistant to physical damage, its shine may be dulled by sweat from perspiration or from common chemicals like chlorine and hairspray. This can be prevented by cleaning the gem within regular intervals.

CLEANING DIAMOND JEWELLERY

Diamond jewellery may be cleaned by using a solution of one part ammonia diluted by six parts of water. Keep the diamond submerged in this solution for half and hour. Then use a small brush to remove the dirt and other impurities lodged within the diamond and the protective setting. While cleaning the diamond with a brush please be sure to use a soft brush. A hard brush may leave permanent scratch marks on the protective setting. Rinse the ring with clean water and leave it to dry. To maintain the lustre, wipe the diamond with a damp cloth from time to time. There are also mechanical cleaners, like the ultra sonic cleaner, if you prefer to not handle the gem manually. Ultrasonic cleaning is recommended because it will remove dirt from areas that are practically unreachable manually. Ultrasonic cleaning is available at most jewellery stores.

STORING DIAMOND JEWELLERY

Care must be taken while storing diamond along with the rest of your jewellery. If placed carelessly, the diamond is most likely to damage other ornaments made of gold, silver or platinum. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the diamond wrapped around a soft cloth before putting it with the rest of you jewellery. Ideally, the diamond jewellery must be kept in isolation. Most jewellers provide a box or a case to keep the diamond. You can use the same case or buy a another one if you want to.

MAINTENANCE

Other than regular cleaning, diamond jewellery also requires careful attention when it comes to maintenance. For starters, try to be aware that you are wearing the worlds most precious gem stone at all times. If you have an active life style, please make sure that the setting is safe and secure. Otherwise the gem might get dislodged from the setting. Avoid exposure to strong chemicals. This may not directly endanger the diamond, but it may prove to be mighty harmful for the setting. Wearing diamond jewellery, while engaging in rough activities, is not a very wise thing to do. But if you want to show off, please do it only after you get the setting double checked. After all, what good is a diamond if you can’t brag about it to your friends?